The Twilight Zone is an iconic series that has so many episodes that it’s easy to get lost in each season. Featuring stories centered in science fiction, fantasy, and horror, the show is a cherished classic for old and new fans alike. While there are several beloved episodes, and those that many didn’t care for, there are a few hidden gems that many don’t talk about until they see them. Expand your knowledge of the series and check out these six most underrated Twilight Zone episodes now.
6. “Back There” (S2, E13)
Starting our list of underrated Twilight Zone episodes is “Back There.” In the episode, a young engineer leaves his elite social club and finds himself transported back to 1865 on the day President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. While his efforts to prevent the death were in vain, they did change some other aspects of the future. This episode is one of the best time-traveling episodes in the series, and it never reveals how the engineer gets transported to the past, leaving it up to the viewer to decide.
5. “I Shot an Arrow into the Air” (S1, E15)
Fifth on our list of underrated Twilight Zone episodes is “I Shot an Arrow into the Air.” Four astronauts have crash-landed on what seems to be an asteroid, with few supplies and no way to call for help. As they search for aid, tensions rise, and the most cowardly among them kills his friends to claim the remaining resources. However, the “asteroid” is really just a desert somewhere on Earth. The mystery element does well in this episode, bringing in pieces of Lost to the world of the Twilight Zone.
4. “The Trouble with Templeton” (S2, E9)
Next on our list of underrated Twilight Zone episodes is “The Trouble with Templeton.” Exploring the well-known phrase, “be careful what you wish for,” the episode follows Broadway actor Booth Templeton, who has had a bad day and wishes to go back to the way things were. Templeton is transported 30 years in the past, and while he may enjoy it at first, the past is not the same. The best part about this episode is when Templeton leaves, the ghosts truly want him to stay, but know that he isn’t done living yet and must return to the present.
3. “Printer’s Devil” (S4, E9)
Rounding out the top three underrated Twilight Zone episodes is “Printer’s Devil.” Newspaper editor Douglas Winter is struggling to compete against larger corporations and is debating throwing in the towel and ending his life when Mr. Smith appears. He helps out Winter and the paper makes a huge comeback, but over time, Winter discovers there’s something off about Smith and his reporting. This episode is often hidden within the hour-long episodes in season four, but it has a very interesting take on the Devil.
2. “Deaths-Head Revisited” (S3, E9)
Second on our list of Twilight Zone episodes is “Deaths-Head Revisited.” Set after World War II, former SS captain Gunther Lutze visits a former concentration camp, which is now abandoned. He walks around the property reminiscing about his days as captain, but his reverie is interrupted by one of his former prisoners, Alfred Becker, who sends Lutze into an unescapable nightmare filled with the horrible things he did to thousands. This episode is so powerful because it uses fantasy to dive into a fraction of what millions of Jews endured during World War II.
1. “Perchance to Dream” (S1, E9)
Last but not least on our list of underrated Twilight Zone episodes is “Perchance to Dream.” Over several nights, Edward Hall has suffered a series of nightmares that become more than just bad dreams. They start to trigger Hall’s heart condition, causing him physical pain and a growing fear of falling asleep. He even confesses to a psychiatrist that he’s stopped sleeping altogether in fear of a dream finally killing him. Anyone who has dealt with nightmares will immediately be drawn into the episode, and the shocking ending truly highlights how dark The Twilight Zone can be.